Teeth Devastated after vet visit

It sounds like things are pretty positive right now! She is lucky to have such a diligent mom like you to take care of her as well as you are. Hoping that the next consult goes well for you!

SamIAm said:

Hi, I'm in the Quad Cities and I love my vets! I can give them a call tomorrow if you'd like, to get an approx quote for their cost. I realize it'd be a bit of a drive, but they're just off I80, probably 45 min or so from Iowa City. Let me know! And best of luck to little miss Cherry! Remember, where there's a will, there's a way.

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I saw there was a good dental vet in Davenport I think it was. Im spudsthepigets mom and we go there quite often, not a bad drive at all and you all have a Golden Corral!! If we don't get good results tomorrow at the vet in Cedar Rapids who is a cavy vet, we'll call them as well. What is the name and number if you don't mind so we have the right place. THanks so much SamIAM

I just called my vet. Their new patient exam is $52.50 and molar trimming is $58.50!!! So much, much cheaper. I'm not sure if that included anesthesia or if they do it another way but Dr. Kathy is phenomenal and very, very knowledgable with guinea pigs. They are Animal Family Veterinary Care Center on Brady St. Their number is 563-391-9522. I see Dr. Rob and Dr. Kathy usually, and Dr. Kathy and Dr. Lauren do molar trimmings. I've only seen Dr. Lauren for one of my dogs, she's newer there, but we loved her then. Hope you guys get the answers you need today, but if not, here's another option.

Oh, and they are in Davenport!

I hope the cheaper cost works out.

Overall, however, I was extremely disturbed by your post. $1,000 a year, while a lot, can ealisy come up if a pig needs a surgery or any other serious medical treatment. It's not a reason or an excuse to put them down, since your pig is not in pain and otherwise healthy.

I don't know your financial situation. The only advice I have is that if you have a cell phone, cable, or at home internet, the cost of any one of those can easily add up to $1,000 a year. Cancel one, and you'll have money for treatment. This is not just a hypothetical. I don't have 2 out of the 3.

I don't want to get involved in this thread, and there seem to be plenty of people helping, so that's the only post I am going to make on the subject.

Holy cow SamIAm! That is the one I saw yesterday as I was searching around and bookmarked!! That is crazy. Thank you so much we will check into it for sure!

couchon said:

I hope the cheaper cost works out.

Overall, however, I was extremely disturbed by your post. $1,000 a year, while a lot, can ealisy come up if a pig needs a surgery or any other serious medical treatment. It's not a reason or an excuse to put them down, since your pig is not in pain and otherwise healthy.

I don't know your financial situation. The only advice I have is that if you have a cell phone, cable, or at home internet, the cost of any one of those can easily add up to $1,000 a year. Cancel one, and you'll have money for treatment. This is not just a hypothetical. I don't have 2 out of the 3.

I don't want to get involved in this thread, and there seem to be plenty of people helping, so that's the only post I am going to make on the subject.

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We weren't complaining about cost @couchon, we were just asking why we would have to continue to pay 500 every 6 weeks. We already have quite a bit invested in Cherry and will continue to invest, it was the vet who suggested putting her down and we are looking around to find a second opinion. It wasn't 1000 a year, the vet said 750 initially, then 500 every 6 weeks to keep them filed down. That is far more than a 1000 a YEAR! Its more like 5000 for the first year if we went every 6 weeks at 500 + the initial 750.
You didn't read the post right. We didn't take the vets advice of putting her down and are off to another vet tomorrow to see what her opinion is! We are doing all we can for her and will do all we can.

In that case, my apologies - good luck with your girl!

@ couchon I was extremely upset yesterday and it seemed like putting her down was the only option until I made this thread and got so many responses urging me to seek a second opinion. I'm a substitute classroom associate and I'm not always able to get a sub job every day, so $500 every six weeks is more than I can afford. Please don't judge me.

I'm not giving up on Cherry; I'm going to find a treatment for her that will work and doesn't involve her getting her teeth trimmed every 6 weeks.

@couchon , they don't want to put her down, but there wasn't any other choice until they found this vet..

^^^I simply don't agree with this (the no choice part or the not getting into debt part), but I will not argue that point, as last time I decided to get into that conversation, it ended very poorly, with some people being very hostile.

well. we didn't mean to, but she isn't highly paid, and she wants to, the only other option was surrendering her to a shelter..

Cherry is adorable! And she is a fighter! I'm glad you were able to arrange for a second opinion. Hope she gets better soon!

we all do.. xx cherry, charge on and defeat those molars!!

also @couchon , she would be in pain soo, if her molars kept growing, they would eventually block her throat or something..

There are various reasons a pig develops malocclusion. Could be the pig was dropped, or wrenched it's jaw, causing a misalignment so the teeth don't meet to grind down appropriately. Could be a dental or jaw abscess. Could be a lack of hay to chew on. The pig could have been sick and not eating normally and so the molars could have grown too long. Or the pig might have a congenital problem.

I like to think of malocclusion as a symptom. Often, after the teeth are planed, the original concern is still there, so the teeth grow long again.

Weighing your pig weekly is one way to keep on top of if your pig is eating enough, hence keeping the teeth ground down.

couchon said:

^^^I simply don't agree with this (the no choice part or the not getting into debt part), but I will not argue that point, as last time I decided to get into that conversation, it ended very poorly, with some people being very hostile.

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Just stop Couchon, this is a tough situation, we are looking for advice and support and since you can't do either, just stop. This is difficult enough. You don't seem to understand and certainly aren't sorry since your back again. So without getting HOSTILE, just STOP, please

Daisy, you seem to be the one that keeps going on and on about it. I recommend that you take your own advice, and just drop it.

Hi @spudsthepiget and @daisy1cow. Just wanted to send some words of encouragement and let you know I'm praying for little miss Cherry. (She's gorgeous by the way.) Hope you get better news at your second opinion tomorrow. I totally understand the overwhelming feeling of your baby needing something and you can't afford it. You guys are clearly good piggy parents/grandparents. Let us know how it goes.

Cherry had her second opinion today; this vet was also not able to see her molars as her cheeks were in the way, but she thought it was most likely molars rather than internal issues. She recommended a teeth trimming as well and her price estimate was $170 - $200; so much more reasonable than the other vets estimate!

Cherry will be getting her molars filed on Friday. The vet that ill be doing it is the same vet that spayed Mable. After she gets her teeth trimmed, we're going to take it from there and see how she does and if she's able to keep them ground down. I'm really hoping her teeth are just overgrown from her previous owners not feeding her enough hay. I'm really hopeful that this will be the beginning of good things for Cherry.

Thanks again everyone for your kind wishes and thoughts for Cherry!

I'm glad you were able to find a vet that charged a more reasonable amount. I hope the trimming goes well and that it never has to be done again, good luck Cherry!

I'm glad there's a less expensive option! The first vet's stuff just didn't sound right to me. While they have her under anesthesia for the molar planing you might ask for them to do X-rays of her teeth and jaw to see if there's an underlying cause. Let us know how it goes, hang in there little Cherry!